History of Dance in Canada
The bodily expressions we offer to denote happiness, forgiveness, love, hate and a myriad of other human emotions are broadly referred to as dance. We move to the flow of what is in our heart, the music that we hear, the song we have in our head. Dance in Canada is hundreds of years old, beginning with the aboriginal First Nation peoples and continuing today in studios, recitals and theatrical shows.
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Dance Applications
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Some of the earliest forms of dance were performed for religious ceremonies, mating rituals and other community events. From these forms, the tradition of Canadian dance evolved to include entertainment, exercise, and physical and psychological therapy. Dance may also be instinctive behavior--a kind of language of the body--using movement to communicate to others what cannot be expressed in words.
First Nations Peoples
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Dance in Canada began with the aboriginal use of the art form in rituals. As early as 1534, there is a written account of merriment by First Nations peoples. This heritage was retained through hundreds of years of European settlement despite the new regime's hostility to aboriginal dance forms. These original dances are long gone despite a later attempt at revival in the 20th century.
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European Settlers
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Europeans imported their culture in the 16th through 18th centuries. Their social dances were seemingly limitless with jigs, waltzes, polkas and the like. Theatrical dance didn't evolve in Canada, but was brought in from other countries. The French introduced classical Ballet to Canada with Louis Renault being one of the first teachers. A troupe from Bordeaux, France, performed "La Fille Mal Gardeé Québec" in 1789. Many provinces to this day display their own heritage from the countries that largely settled the regions.
20th Century Influences
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Ballet became bedfellows with modern dance troupes in the mid-1960s. These troupes included: Le Groupe de la Place Royal in Montréal and Toronto Dance Theatre in Winnipeg. As they traveled, the troupes would entertain and educate. Choreographer Françoise Sullivan introduced surrealism in the late 1970s. Dancers and choreographers from various countries also brought to Canadian dance the forms of jazz and hip-hop as well as the Japanese butoh and other Asian traditions.
Russian and American Influence
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Vancouver welcomed the great Russian ballet dancer Valslav Nijinsky in 1917 and later such Ballet Russes stars as Anna Pavlova and Alexandra Danilova. Russian immigrant Boris Volkoff performed on stage in Toronto in the 1930s between movies, opened his own studio and later went to the Berlin Olympics with students to perform there. June Roper from America taught in Vancouver from 1934 to 1940 with her graduates becoming stars in their own right later in life. Famed American dancer/choreographers Ruth St. Denis and Martha Graham brought modern dance to Canada.
Studios, Troupes and Companies
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Dance in Canada has the studios throughout the country. The National Ballet of Canada debuted in 1951, performing full-length classical ballets and masterworks. The Prairie troupe became the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1953, performing mixed programs that included jazz and abstract dance. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens brought to the dance scene original pieces, including a rock ballet adaptation of the Broadway show "Tommy." Dancer/Choreographer Grant Strate introduced dance therapy, which influenced many dance forms.
Step Dance Influence
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Step dance in Canada includes reels, jigs, clogs, strathspeys, polkas and two-steps. The reel is from Scotland and Ireland. Jigs are still prevalent in the Cape Breton region of Nova Scotia. Clogs are considered graceful rather than quick like jigs and reels. Ottawa Valley still performs hornpipe dancing. Soft-shoe dance is offered through the Scottish strathspey. Polka, which is of Slav and German origin, is performed in Western Canada. The three step-dancing styles in Canada are Cape Breton, French Canadian and Ottawa Valley.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Dance silhouette image by huaxiadragon from Fotolia.com
